Method and apparatus for selecting metal checks



Nov. 27, 1928. 4 1,693,104

H. E. WURZBACH ET AL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SELECTING METAL CHECKS 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 27, 1928 IN VEN TOR. Huyh E, Warzbac/v B Zed/eb. kVadJWo/M W )ITfOENEYS' Nov. 27, 1928.

H. E. WURZBACH. ET AL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SELECTING METAL cHEcKsFiled Jan. 27, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORV flay/1 f. WurzbacbPatented Nov. 27, 1928.

- UNITED STATES.

PATENT orries..- f

HUGH E. WURZBACH AND LESLIE H. WADSWORTH, OF MAGNA, UTAH, ASSIGNORS TOSELECTOR CORPORATION, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, A CORPORATION OF UTAH.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SELECTING METAL CHECKS.

Appli-cation filed January 27, 1928 This invention-relates to theselection-of checks having certain properties from other checks notpossessing such properties, for example for the purpose of preventingopera- ,tion of vending machines, change delivering machines or othercoin controlled or check controlled apparatus by any coins or checksother than those by which the same are intended to be operated.

The main object of the invent-ion is to provide a novel method andapparatus for the above purpose.

A particular object of the invention is to provide for double selectingaction-dependent upon the combined properties of electrical conductivityand resiliency, whereby checks having a certain electrical conduct-ivltyand a certain resiliency will be delivered separately from the checksdifi'ering therefrom either in electrical conductivity or resiliency.

The invention consists both in the method and-apparatus, the methodconsisting essentially in causing the check to be tested to pass intoand through a zone of concentrated magncticflux, whereby the velocity ofthe check is modified in accordance with its electrical properties ashereinafter described, and subsequently causing checks delivered in acertain path as a result p t the intensity of the velocity-modifyingaction of said magnetic flux, to strike against impact means and reboundtherefrom, and selectively delivering the checks so striking said impactmeans and undergoing a certain amount and direction of reboundseparately from checks failing to properly strike the impact means orfailing to rebound in the proper mannerafterstriking said impact means.The check is delivered through space, after passing through the zone ofmagnetic fiux, so as to cause it to travel in a free trajectorydependent upon the velocity at which the check leaves said zone. Acertain kind of coin does not always travel exactly the same trajectory,due to variations in surface condition, and, indeed, the same coin willexperience slight changes in trajectory, if repeatedly inserted,probably due to slight variations in vibration as it passes down thechute. This variation in trajectories is taken care of by making theimpact surface of the impact member just wide'enough to span the limitsof variation. The Width may be cut down to even less to secure a greaterselectivity," since the only result is to return an Serial No. 250,036..

occasional coin to the customer. Byperforming the separation by means ofan edge on a massive impact member, a high degree of accuracy isobtained. This webelieve to be due to the fact that there is no waveringof the edge when it is struck by a check, such as The apparatus of ourinvention comprises essentially, means defining a passage for checks,means for creating a concentrated magnetic field across or through acertain portion of said passage in such mannerthat the lines of forceare cut by a check moving in said passage, suitable impact-meansdisposed in the path of checks following a certain trajectory afterleaving said passage, an means for selectively delivering the checksafter rebound from said impact means, in accordance with the trajectorythereof after such rebound. i

The accompanying drawingsillustrate embodiments of the apparatus of ourinvention.

and referring thereto Fig. 1 is a vertical section of one form of suchapparatus.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 22 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Fig.4 is a section on line 4-4 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of another modification of the apparatus.

In the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, a chute 1 is providedhaving a downwardly inclined check conducting passage 2 and an opening 3for insertion of a metal ch eck in the upper end of said passage.

Means are provided for creating a strong.

consist of permanent magnets as shown, although it will be understood,of course, that electromagnetic means may beused to accomplish the sameresult'if desired. The like poles of said magnets are secured inposition in contact with common pole pieces 6 and 7, the two north polesbeing, for example, secured in contact with .pole piece 6 and the twosouth poles in contact with the pole piece 7. Said pole pieces arepreferably provided with means for concentrating the magneticfiuxtherebetween across a limited portion or zoneof chute 2, such meanscomprising for example L-shaped members 8 and 9 formed on or secured tothe respective, Pole pieces, the inner ends of said members projectingthrough the side walls of chute 1 as shown, so as to leave a gaptherebetween just sufi'iclent to permit passage of the cheek andconcentrate said flux through the smallest possible portion of the checkand thus produce the maximum efl'ectthereon. T

Chute 1 opens at itslower end and beyond the opposing members '8 and'9into an enlarged-chamber or housing 12 providing a passage 13 betweenthe side plates 14 thereof, said passage being only slightly greater inwidth than the thickness of the checks designed to pass therethrough buthaving a sufiicient extension in the plane of said check to permit anycheck to fall freely therethrough in different paths under the influenceof gravity, depending upon the weight of thescheck and thevelocity withwhich it leaves the passage 2. At a suitable point in chamber, 12 ismounted an anvil or impact member 16 which extends from one side plate14 to the other, but whose dimension in a directionsubstantiallyperpendicular to the trajectory of the check is considerably less, thanthat of the chamber 12 soas to provide a space 17 infront of said impactmember and a space 18 beyond the same of suflicient size to permitpassage of checks therethrough. Said impact member may be of steel orother suitable metal or of bakelite or any other suitable material andis of suflicient size and weightto cause a check falling thereon to re=bound in the desired manner. The impact member is placed as sllown,below and somewhat beyond the lower end of chute 1, so that a checkleaving said chute at exactl a predetermined velocity will strike said'impact membersquarely upon its upper or impact face 19 and reboundin-the desired manner provided such check possesses the desired propertyof resiliency. I

Beyond and somewhat above the impact member 16 is mounted an adjustabledeflecting member 21 which may be set in'any desired position betweenthe side walls 14, said deflecting member comprising, for example, ashort metal sleeve or section of tubing held in position by means ofscrew 22 extending through slots 28 in said sidewalls and se- .1 by 24;,By moving said deflecting men1- ber up or down in the slots 23 the samemay be set in such position that a check striking the upper face ofimpact member 16 squarely and "possessing the proper'resil-iency willrebound over said deflecting member,wh1le anycheck of less resiliencywill strike said deflecting member and be thrown back and fall through 4one of the passages "17 or 18. At the other side of the deflectingmember 21 is provided a downwardly extending check receiving chute 26into which any check rebounding over said deflecting member ispermittedto fall. The end of chamber 12 isclosed as indlcated at 27-andis preferably rounded as shown so as to catch all checks passing overthe deflecting member and guide the same -into the chute 26. Chamber 12may communicate at .its lower end with a chute 28 into which any cheekspassing through the spaces 17 or 18 are delivered. i

If desired, an additional deflecting member may be provided as indicatedin dotted lines at 21 for intercepting checks having greater resiliencythan that desired, said deflecting member being, for example, similar tomember 21 and being mounted in the upper portion of the same slots 23.

The operation of the above described form of apparatus is as follows: Acoin or check inserted through opening 3 into the upper end of passage 2will roll downwardly in said passage and through the zone ofconcentrated magnetic flux between the opposing pole members 8 and 9.The motion of such check through the magnetic field will cause inducedelectric currents commonly known as eddy currents to be setup therein byelectromagnetic induction and will at the same time cause a retardingforce to be exerted upon the check,'the strength of such force, for agiven strength of magnetic field, depending primarily upon theelectrical conductivity of the check. -The strength of the retarding.force thus exerted upon the check will influence the velocity thereofand thus deter- 'mine the velocity at whichthercheck is dis ductivity ofthe check upon which the retardation or modification of the motion ofthe check depends, depends not only upon the actual conductivity of thesubstance of which the check is composed,but also upon the shape orconfiguration t reof. For example, if the check be provided withperforations, its apparent or effective 'conductivitywill thus bereduced. The term electrical conductivity as used herein is understoodto mean the effective conductivity of the checks, that is, the

relative readiness with which eddy currents path as indicated at B whilea check of less are induced therein u'pon passage through the magneticfield.

It should be pointed out-that the method and apparatus of this inventionare intended particularly for operation upon checks com posed ofnon-magnetic or weakly magnetic substances, that is to say, uponsubstances which are not strongly paramagnetic, and are therefore notattracted upon being placed within a magnetic field, the action uponwhich the invention is based being dependent entirely upon the eddycurrentsand the resultant retarding force produced upon motion of thecheck through the magnetic field. The invention is, for example, adaptedfor handling checks composed of silver, gold, copper, lead, tin', zinc,antimony, or alloys thereof but it is not intended for the handling ofchecks made of iron, nickel or the like, which would be so stronglyattracted as to be stopped by one or the other of the pole pieces.

Magnets 4 and 5, or other magnetic means which may be employed, are ofsuflicient strength, and impact member 16 is so placed with respect tothe lower end of passage 2 that a" check having a certain desiredelectrical conductivity and hence undergoing a certain retardation inits passage through the magnetic flux willleave such passageat justsuf:ficient velocity to cause it to fallin substantially the path, ortrajectory indicated by the arrows at A in Fig. 1. Such a check will,

therefore, strikethe impact member in a certain pre-determmed positionand at a certain velocity and angle, so as to cause it to reboundproperly provided it possesses also the proper,

resilience. Any check of like weight having a greater electricalconductivity will undergo greater retardation and be discharged at alower velocity and hence fall in some such electrical conductivity willleave the passage at a? greater velocity and fall in some such path asindicated at C. Checks following other than the proper path A may fallentire- 1y clear of the impact member 16 as indicated bythe paths B andC and hence be discharged through chute 28, or they may strike theimpact face 19, but not squarely in the proper position thereon nor atthe proper angle and velocity, and hence fail to rebound over thedeflecting member 21 or between said deflecting member and the upperdeflecting member 21, even though they may possess the properresil'ency. Checks failing to r'ebou nd between said deflecting membersbecause of improper impact on the impact member 16 will be thrown backinto chamber 12 and hence pass downwardly at one side or the other ofthe impact member and through the same chute 28.

The apparatus will also reject any check which is not round, as suchcheck will be caused to slide down the chute 1 instead of tionalresistance its velocity at the time of leaving said chute will not begreat enough tocause it to strike impact member 16 or at least to strikeit in such manner as to rebound clear of thedeflecting means 21 and 21.

Furthermore, even though the check is round and possesses the properelectrical conductivity and therefore strikes the impact member 16squarely on the impact face 19 thereof it will still be rejected unlessit also possesses a certain desired resiliency. If the check so strikingthe impact member has exactly the desired resiliency it will rebound inthe path indicated at A and hence pass between deflecting member21 and21' and pass downwardly through chute 26. If, however, it possess lessresiliency it will fail to rebound sufliciently and will, therefore,strike deflecting member 21 and be drawn back and discharged throughchute 28. In a similar manner a check having a greater resiliency thanthat desired will rebound to too great an extent and will strikedeflecting member21 with the same result.

A modification of the apparatus is shown in Fig. 5, in which the chute 1provided with check conducting passage 2, and the means for creatingmagnetic flux across said passage may be substantially the same asbefore,'but' in which the impact member 16' is placed in a position morenearly in line with the directionof said passage instead ofbelow thesame tively high velocity will be projected as indicated by the arrows Eand strike the lateral impact face 19', so as to be deflected in somesuch path as that indicated as F and fall into the chute 31. The planeof the impact face is in this case such as to cause the check to reboundbackward insteadof for -so that a check leaving the passage 2 atrelaface but rebounding therefrom in a path such as indicated at H, dueto insuflicient'resiliency.

This formof apparatus is particularly adapted for the selection ofchecks of relatively low electrical conductivity, but. relatively highresiliency, as checks of this character will be relatively slightlyaflfected'by passage through the magnetic field and will hence leavethepassage 2 at high velocity, and will also rebound a maximum distancefrom the impact member 16. The principles upon which the selection isbased are, however, the same as in the form of apparatus firstdescribed.

,Wec laimr .l 1. The method of selecting checks which comprises causingthe check to pass through a zone of concentrated magnetic flux whereby vthe velocity of said check is diminished in accordance with the inducedcurrents set up therein, permitting'the check to move in a freetrajectory after leaving said zone of mag netic fiux, causing any'checkmoving in'a certain trajectory to strike against impact means and torebound therefrom in accordance with the resiliency thereof, anddelivering any check striking said impact means and rebounding therefromin a certain manner separatelyfrom all checks failing to strike saidimpact means and all checks striking said impact means and failing torebound therefrom in said certain manner.

2. An apparatus for selecting checks comprising means creating a zone ofmagnetic -fiux means for delivering checks to said zone of magnetic fluxso as tocausesaid checks to cut thelines of force of said flux, meansfor conducting checks from said zone in such a manner that they are'free to move under the combined influence of their velocities andgravity, impact means positioned so as to be struck by c ecks travellinga certain trajectory, means adapted to receive checks re bounding .fromsaid impact means in a certain path and means adapted to prevententrance of checks rebounding in any other path into said checkreceiving means.

3. The method of selecting checks which comprises causing the checks topass through a zone of concentrated magnetic flux so as to cause thevelocity thereof to be diminished in accordance with the inducedcurrents 4. The method of selecting checks which comprises firstsubjecting thecheck to a se- 'lect'iveaction dependent upon theretardation thereof when passed through aizone of magnetic flux, subsequentl discharging the check in a direction other t an vertical, so thatit will move in a free trajectory determined by its resulting velocity,and subjecting it while so movingjto a selective action dependent,

upon the combined efli'ect of the first-named selective action and'ofthe resiliency of the check.

5. The method of selecting checks which comprises first passing thecheck through a zone of magnetic flux'to modify the velocity thereof inaccordance with the electric induction therein, subsequently dischargingthe.

check in a direction other than vertical, and then subjecting the check,while moving in a free trajectory determined by its modified velocity,to a selective action dependent on the combined effect of the velocityof 'the check and the resiliency thereof.

' 6. The method of selecting checks which comprises passing the checkthrough a zone of concentrated magnetic-flux so as to modify thevelocity thereof in accordance with the, induced currents set 11therein, causing the check upon leaving sai zone to move in a freetrajectory determmed' by its modified velocity, causing any check movingin a certain trajectory to strike upon impact means and to reboundtherefrom, and selectively separating checks striking said impact meansand rebounding therefrom in a certain path from checks failing to strikesaid impact meansand from checks striking said impact means but failingto rebound in said certain path.

7. An apparatus for selecting checks comprising impact means, meanscreating a zone of magnetic flux, means defining a check conductingpassage extending through said-zone of magnetic flux and. ada ted todischarge a check in a direction ot erwthan vertical,

whereby a check delivered from said passage at a certain velocitywillthereupon" fall in 'a free trajectory 'in such manner as to strike saidimpact means at a certain velocity and in a-certain position, saidimpact means being adapted 'to cause a check striking the same torebound in a path dependent upon .the position and velocity of impactand upon the resiliency of the check,-means defining a check receivingpassage, and deflecting means in position to permit a check reboundingfrom said impact means in a certain path to enter said check receivingpassage an'd to prevent checks reboundinginiany other path from enteringsaid passa e..

8. An apparatus for selecting checks comprising a chute provided with adownwardly inclined. check conducting passage, magnet means creating azone of magnetic flux across a' portion of said chute, housing meanscommunicating with the lower end of said chute and adapted to permit acheck upon leaving said chute to move in a free trajectory under thecombined effect of itsown momentum and-the force of gravity, an impactmember mounted within said housing means and having an impact face sopositioned that a check 4 a following a certain trajectory through saidhousing means will strike said impact face and rebound therefrom in amanner depend ent upon the position, direction and velocity of impactand upon the resilience of the check,

means defining a check receiving passage, 'deflectlng means positionedwithin said housing means between said impact member and said checkreceiving passage and adapted to permit a check rebounding in a certainmanner from said impact member to pass said deflecting means and entersaid check receiving passage but to deflect checks rebounding in anyother manner and prevent the same from entering said check receivingpassage, and means separate from said check receiving passage forreceiving and conducting away checks failing to strike said impactmember and checks deflected by said deflecting means.

9. A check selecting apparatus comprising means creating a zone, ofmagnetic flux, a check conducting chute extending through said zone ofmagnetic fltix, impact means arranged beyond the end of said chute, saidmagnetic flux being adapted to retard checks passing therethroughdiiferentially in accordance with their composition, said chute beingadapted to discharge checks in a direction other than vertical, wherebythey will travel along trajectories: determined by their m0- mentum andgravity, said impact means having an edge located on the line ofdivision between the trajectories of different kinds of checks, means"defining a check receiving passage, and deflecting means adapted toexclude checks rebounding from'said impact means from said checkreceiving, passage, except those traversing a certain path.

10. A check selecting apparatus comprising means creating a zone ofmagnetic flux va check conducting chute extending through said zone ofmagnetic flux, impact means arranged beyond the end of said chute,'saidmagnetic flux being adapted to retard checks passing therethroughdifferentially in accordance with their composition, said chute beingadapted to discharge checks in a direction other than Vertical, wherebythey will travel along trajectories determined by their momentum andgravity, saidimpact means having an impact face defined by two edgeslocated substantially at the outer limits within which the trajectoriesof a certain kind of checks lie, a check receiving passage, anddeflecting means adapted to exclude checks rebounding from said gimpactmeans from said check receiving passage, except those traversing acertain path.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto subscribed our names this 19 dayof Jan nary, 1928.

. HUGH E. WURZBACH. LESLIE H. WADSWORTH.

